12 Fictional Supercomputers I Hope Never Materialize

If Google's server farm ever does assert its independence and decide the human race needs to do something other than look up cat videos, most science fiction fans would shrug and say: "Told you so." Artificial intelligence has the baddest of raps in science fiction, in big part because so many of these supercomputers tend to be so malicious. But look closer and you'll find in a lot of cases they're simply doing too good a job of being true to their programming, whether for good or ill. He

2 of 12

Marvin (and Eddie) from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Douglas Adams' cosmic comedy featured not one but two supercomputers of diametrically opposite demeanors: Marvin the Paranoid Android and the on-board ship's computer, Eddie. Marvin, with a "brain the size of a planet," spends his entire existence steeped in loathing and anomie. His resentment for his human handlers was immortalized in a novelty record with the lyrics: "Ten billion logic functions, maybe more / They make me pick the paper up off the floor."

Eddie, on the other hand, is as cheerful and can-do as Marvin is not, like an eager-to-please airline attendant who just can't leave well enough alone. Both are products of the widely-loathed Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, which hit on the brilliant idea of giving AIs what they called "Genuine People Personalities." Evidently someone forgot to tell them most people don't really want supercomputers that act like people.

Our latest survey shows growing demand, fixed budgets, and good reason why resellers and vendors must fight to remain relevant. One thing's for sure: The data center is poised for a wild ride, and no one wants to be left behind.